Project Smoke and Mirrors
by writers outfield
Summary: Lost Springs, Wyoming. One of the smallest towns in the states and it's about to get even smaller. Something is hunting the kids of Lost Springs. Something dark and hungry...
1. Prologue

_A/N this is a re uploaded version of our story, due to it being written and posted on two accounts we have decided to upload it again, edited with fewer mistakes, and continue from where we left off. We have up to chapter 15 pre-written._

_We don't own Twilight and we hope you enjoy._

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**Prologue: The Hunting Of A Hunter**

**Essex, England 1604**

"Witch, witch, where do you fly? Under the clouds and over the sky."

Eleazar sang the words softly as he walked. His voice accompanied by the hooting of owls and the slurping of the mud as it pulled on his boots, pulling them deeper into the filth. The chirping of evening birds and the calls of other drunken men. They were sounds of the evening in his village.

"Witch, witch, what do you eat? Little black apples from Hurricane Street."

The young hunter couldn't help but smile as he breathed in the scent of ash and smoke. For him it was the scent of victory, for him it meant that the world was now a slightly safer... slightly better place. For he had been the hunter to find the wicked women.

"Witch, witch, what do you drink? Vinegar and good red ink."

Eleazar couldn't help but boast his victory, the lads had taken him to celebrate. Mead, ale and womenfolk had been his reward. They must have chanted and sang his way through enough to serve the entire village. It wasn't proper for a puritan boy his age but he didn't care though, in his mind it was worth it.

"Witch, witch, where do you sleep? Up in the clouds where the pillows are cheap."

He finished the song with a slurred and quirky chuckle. His laughter grew louder, shaking his entire body. Eleazar lost his footing, he slipped and toppled into the sludge and mud that coated the forest floor. The mud coated his clothes and stuck to his hair. He continued to laugh from his bed in the mud, not noticing what he was lying in.

"Witch, witch, where do you fly? Under the clouds and over the sky."

Eleazar started to sing his song again. Calling out his words in a deep and out of tune octave.

"Witch, witch, what do you eat? Little black apples from Hurricane Street."

He was a drunken mess. Far too out of it realize that someone was approaching his limp body. Far too out of it to feel the hands pull on his limbs that hung lifeless like filled with sand. Far too out of it to feel the wind touch his skin as they carried him along.

"Witch, witch, what do you drink? Vinegar and good red ink."

They dropped him to the ground with a thud but if the boy noticed the pain he neither cared or bothered to show it. Instead he continued to sing as his abductors began to chant and sing in voices much nicer than his own. Eleazar sucked in a large breath of air as prepared to screech out the last line.

"Witch, witch, where do you sleep? Up in the clouds where the pillows are cheap."

Again he laughed at himself. His mind lost in some far off land.

"Can'ie not just get this done? Blasted voice, givin m' ears right do over he is." The voice of a girl said.

Eleazar felt a jolt of lightening jump down his spine. Then another and another. Then what little feeling he had on is legs was gone, then in his arms. Eleazar could feel the jolts but not his body.

He could no longer taste the bitter mead that had clung to the back of his throat. The way the wind blew through the trees, whistling it's song into his ears. Not even the feel of the mud that stuck and hugged his clothes to his skin.

Eleazar began to panic, the feeling was returning but was different. Suddenly he could feel everything, hear it all, taste and smell all of it. Most of all he could three women stand, each he knew where from the village.

Then he saw the fire, the swirling flames and twirling embers.

He watched as the girl with fire moved towards him. The embers begun to burn at his strange unfamiliar body.

The sisters watched and waited until he was ashes. They collected it together, filling the box with the still hot remains. The eldest sister then placed on the seal. Whispering her words of respect for the dead.

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_Essex, England 1799_

"And a handful of crushed... no, not crushed... cress or maybe... No crushed... crushed rose petals. Then pepper is it..." The girl murmured to herself as she struggled to read the words. Working by candle light wasn't the best option but she didn't dare do this craft in the daytime. Too risky.

She pressed the knife into the petals, the little moisture present trickled out. The roses had been stolen like the other things.

But the roses meant more. She remembered her mother taking her past the gardens. They were beautiful. There had been tries lining the borders, each ripe with beautiful plump red apples. When Carmen went to pluck one from a low branch her mother had scolded her, 'always take from the ground, the fresh for the lord n' lady'. Carmen hadn't known that there were rules to apple eating but she took one none the less.

Carmen dropped the petals into the pot, the water around them began to dilute red.

She chopped an apple in two. One half dropped in the pot the other was skinned then added.

Carlos had loved apples; he often stole them from the garden. He and a few other boys would sit under the bridge, have their fill then share the remains. Carlos always brought her the good ones; the ones with no bruises or dents.

"Three drops... Two drops of a widows blood..." Pressing the blade to the pad of her finger and then squeezing out two droplets of the ruby red liquid. They fell into the bowl, staining it red.

Widowed at twenty, Carmen had lost them all. Her love, her parents, siblings and little Carlos.

But this would be her revenge. Carmen would summon a spirit of the dark times to do her deed. Yes, this would be her revenge...


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: So You Had A Bad Day**

**Lost Springs, Wyoming Yesterday**

Spencer ran after the large yellow bus as it drove away from school, he was only a few seconds late yet he had still missed it.

Eventually the bus had stopped and Spencer had taken a seat next to a gobby freshman girl, who when attempting to blow a bubble had spat gum into his hair.

_Finally!_Spencer thought to himself as he headed home. Normally he would have had lots of patience for shitty days but today had to be the worst day of his life.

It had actually started out fine but once he stepped a foot out of his house, everything started going downhill.

First the car wouldn't start so he would be late for class. He had taken off running, not noticing the dog shit on the street and stepped on it. Now he was late and reeking of shit, but of course the today was the day the universe hated him so much that the teacher had to announce that he was the only one who failed the most important test of the semester in front of the whole class, but to top it all off, Spencer's girlfriend of one year decided to break up with him.

'Just great', he had thought. He wanted to cry, but of course He wouldn't 'cause big boys don't cry'. Spencer still wanted to keep his man card.

After what felt like hours the bus came to his stop. He got out of there faster than _Roadrunner_could have managed. Spencer jumped from the school bus of noisy kids and started walking. He walked down the narrow cut in the trees and became careful not to slip on the overgrown undergrowth of the forest floor. He had walked this way many times before, the erosion effect had created a somewhat decent trail.

Spencer sighed deeply as he started his iPod, the only thing to help him keep calm was music, not alcohol. No, he didn't like to drink.

As the first few beats of the song flooded into his ears 'how fitting' were his thoughts as the first song that played was bad day by Daniel Powter. The universe had found many ways to annoy him today.

"It can't get any worse than this." He murmured to no one in particular, but as soon as he did he felt something or rather someone watching him. Taking out the earphones he looked around. Seeing no one of course, as he walked through the woods just listening to the music.

This was his therapy to stress and also that there is a path to his home here, but now he was regretting that he had walked through there as he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched and... followed.

Spencer stood still, his feet were planted firmly to the ground. Don't move. Don't speak. Don't make any sounds. Just stay silent.

He didn't move. He didn't speak. He barely breathed.

Spencer swallowed the saliva that had collected in his mouth. He called out "Who's there?"

His voice rang out loud and carried through the woods with the breeze. Still he got no answer.

Now if this one of his buddies pulling a prank on him, he would not be held responsible for their demise because Spencer, sure as hell, would be strangling them to death. Before he sent them to a premature grave.

He continued walking and listening to music but only one of the earphones were in as he tried to also listen to his surroundings. After a few cautious minutes the rustling of leaves and a sinister laugh of a girl, so sweet yet so terrifying to listen to, broke through Spencer's focus.

"Who's there?" Spencer yelled in the forest and was answered by another laugh but this time a small girl with black shoulder length hair and an angelic, childlike face walk towards him smiling wickedly. The girl was wearing a black dress that ended at her calf. She was beautiful but she also looked dangerous. Spencer's instincts told him to run but he didn't.

He didn't move. He didn't speak. He barely breathed.

Then, in true Spencer fashion, he made a mistake.

"Who are you?" He asked her, voice shaky. A bead of sweat formed on his brow and his palms grew moist.

"Meyca..." She answered and then smiled at him sweetly but dangerously at the same time. A sort of strange, cunning mix of the two that seemed to infatuate him.

"What do you want?"

Minutes pass of just silence, then "Blood."

Meyca launched herself at him, they landed on the ground with a loud thud and his backpack went flying as they rolled around, he tried fighting her off with all his strength but she was too strong for him, even if she was a girl and small, Spencer could not pull her off.

Continuing his struggle, he saw the girl lift her head a little and opened her mouth, pointy white teeth peeking out. He screamed at the feeling of something sharp on his neck. The sharp things dug in deep, Meycas tongue sucked and slurped at the wounds she had made.

Still Spencer continued to struggle... and then... his arms grew weaker then fell limp.

He didn't move. He didn't speak. He barely breathed.

Meyca licked the wound once more with a soft goodbye. Everything faded to black for young Spencer...

After Meyca had drank the blood of the young boy from the woods she had snapped his neck. Relishing in the crack as it bounced off the trees. To her kind, pain and fear was a melody that none could resist. Cries for help, sobs of sorrow, pleas and screams for mercy, bones breaking and heavy gasps for breath...

Just beautiful.

Spencer had been an okay substance and, although she wanted it, Meyca didn't drink it all. Of course she didn't. If Meyca did, _She_would get angry. Instead she had taken the body back 'home'. Leaving it for _Her_to deal with.

Meyca walked into the hall, pushed past others gaining glares and hisses of annoyance. No one liked each other here, there was just those you preferred slightly more than others.

She sat down next to Victor, watching a cockroach scuttle past, running from the two predators across the wooden floor boards.

Meyca grabbed it between her claw like fingernails. She smiled as it struggled against her vice like grip. Helpless little prey.

So close to death, the little creature knew.

Then, just a whisper, Victor spoke, "9,957."

"Only 43..." Meyca mused before crushing the cockroach between the tips of her fingers."To go..." Only 43 souls away to meeting _Him._

A/N: please read and review.. :D


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: here's chapter two. Enjoy. Read and Review.. :D**

**Chapter Two: Where It Starts**

**Lost Springs, Wyoming Present Day**

_Beep-beep! Beep-beep! Beep-beep! _

I woke up with sunrays beating down my face from the gaps where the blinds didn't quite cover. The fresh and new morning light stung my eyes making my vision blurry.

The bed groaned and creaked as I rolled over to turn off the annoying alarm clock that's beep-beeping telling me to get up already and start my day. After shutting it off, I kicked my comforters down to stretch. The cool air attacked my skin with what felt like miniscule knives.

I moved over to the window by my bed and opened the blinds. 'It's a beautiful day' I thought to myself as I saw the sun shining brightly outside my window. The wind blew gently through the trees and the birds were chirping their morning song. Wow, now that's a cheesy yet very poetic thought.

I got up and headed to the bathroom. After a quick shower I got dressed in my best jeans (I.E. the ones with no holes in), my favorite bugs bunny t-shirt with my converse hightops. I tied my hair in a ponytail then headed downstairs to make breakfast.

As I was bustling around the kitchen cooking eggs and bacon, I heard the telltale signs that my dad was coming down, the sound of his boots and his favorite portable radio that he always carries with him, I can hear it already spouting off news.

He rounded the corner with a smile. Planting the radio down as he pulled out a chair. "Good morning." Dad says as he settles down at the table. He was already wearing his police chief uniform. A faint five o'clock shadow covered his face and his dark hair was messy.

"Good morning daddy." I said with a cheerful tone as I kissed his cheek and returned to my cooking. The eggs sizzled and the grease in the bacon pan bubbled. The crackles and pops made me smile.

As I was placing his breakfast into a plate I heard the news reporter on the radio saying,

"_A local boy named Spencer Collins is currently reported as missing, his parents said that he did not return home yesterday after school . Friends and classmates said they haven't seen him since their classes have ended, the boy is described as tall with black hair and blue eyes and was last seen yesterday wearing a red Mario bros. t-shirt and jeans. If you have any information about him, please contact his parents at this number 555-9740 or call our station at 555-2853. And on other news…."_

"Bella, you okay?" I heard Charlie's voice say and I realized I was holding the eggs mid-air and the plate on my other hand.

"I'm fine I was just listening to the radio report about the missing guy... um, Spencer." I said as I returned to fixing his breakfast. The bacon sliding across the plate, staining it brown.

"Why, do you know him? He was reported yesterday at the station. Kid just vanished out of thin air." He said. He looked at me, concern in his eyes.

"Yeah, I know him from school but he's a senior. We don't talk much." I paused, "Here's your breakfast." I said sitting down and putting his plate in front of him.

"Thanks." He said; he started eating so I did the same. We sat in silence, just the sounds of munching and the crackly voices of the radio DJ.

Conversation was never really a big part of our family, dad just wants to know what's currently going on with me but never pries and he just makes sure I have no problems at school or anything too serious.

He likes to make sure I'm taken care of as my mom is currently overseas as a travelling nurse. We only get to see her at least once in three months.

After I finished my breakfast I wait for dad to finish so I can clean. Instead he said "You go on ahead Bells, I'll clean up here"

"Thank you." I said and kissed his cheek again. I got my bag and coat then I headed out with a "goodbye" behind my shoulder.

I leaped off of the porch landing with a crunch in the gravel. I headed towards my car and waited a second to admire it, nothing flashy but it was the perfect car for me. The black Toyota Vios I got from my parents as a present for my sixteenth birthday. I know my birthday was last year and I should be used to my car right now but it still amazes me how my parents actually worked hard just to be able to get it for me.

Now don't get me wrong we're not poor or scraping money but we're not rich either, it's just in between the middle. Just getting by but not _yet_struggling.

I got in my car and made my way to school.

Lost Springs is one of the smallest towns in America, according to the 2000 census there was population of one. I don't know if that's true or not, but if you give me long enough I could probably name all the kids that live here.

We all go to the same school. Lost Springs High, home of the buffaloes.

I love going to school and learning new things but being in a small town and seeing the same people every day, it's getting kinda monotonous for me and the only things I look forward to is English class and my two best friends Christine and Alissa, too bad I don't have any morning classes with them.

As I parked my car in the lot I didn't see any of them so I just went straight to my locker to get my things.

The locker creaked and grunted as it opened. I pulled out my books and tossed them into my rucksack. When I was just closing my locker, the school bell rang so I went to my first class and prayed that time went faster so it would already be lunch time.

My first class was geometry with Ms. Chan, oh how I hated this class, because my Asian math teacher likes to always call on me because she knows math was never my strongest point.

She even purposely makes the solutions and formulas harder and more complicated just to see us squirm and make our heads spin and hurt and eventually explode into tiny pieces. Damn her...

My second class was arts with my very weird and very exuberant teacher Ms. Jane. Her class today was actually fun because she made us caricatures of ourselves and she jokes about it in front of the class like a stand-up comedian. We spent the whole time laughing at that class..

My last period before lunch was history with Mr. Preston, a balding man in his fifties that looks like he lives on slow motion. I swear your energy gets sucked out of you when you're in his class because you always leave the room feeling drained and sleepy...

One time he actually fell asleep teaching us. He woke up just before the bell.

After sitting through his boring lecture, the bell finally rang. I hurried for the cafeteria but stopped when my name was called. When I turned around I wished I had just ignored it, because the one who called me was Mike Taylor, the biggest douche bag in my school and my super annoying admirer. Is that what you call it, admirer? or stalker?

"Hey Bella, how's it going?" he asked me, his grin a little too wide. Blonde hair pointing into many directions.

"Fine." I answered him, my tone clipped. With that I turned to walk away.

"Wait, I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go out with me this Saturday, you know watch a movie or dinner?" he said catching up with me.

I sighed deeply then turned to look at him "Sorry Mike but I can't, the girls and I already have plans for this weekend."

He opened his mouth to say something but I cut him off.

"Also the next weekend and the next and the next until summer vacation." I told him and then turned to walk away leaving him standing there.

When I got to the cafeteria I went in line and got my lunch. After scanning the crowd I instantly saw Christine sitting at a table.

Christine is, well Christine is definitely different. She's short with her dark hair travelling down her back. Her eyes are dark and face permanently twisted to a smile. She had a happy but sarcastic personality, she loves to watch movies and listen to music. Music was Christine's drug, you will always see her with an iPod and earphones in.

So there she was sitting at one of the tables with her own admirer, Aiden Carter, with a bouquet of blue roses in Christine's arms, she looks annoyed but she's blushing and Aiden looks happy and hopeful.

Now those two have been dancing around each other for a long time now. Aiden expressed his feelings for Christine in the middle of our freshman year after he made fun of us. We were freshmen and he was a sophomore, a jock at that, and Christine embarrassed him in the cafeteria.

Let's just say there really is a thin line between love and hate because those two hated each other at first but their arguments caused Aiden to fall for Christine... Hard.

Then he started courting her and until now he's still courting her because Christine didn't want to be somebody's girlfriend, thinking it's too cheesy. All of us are still waiting for Christine to crack because she also fell hard for him, her beliefs in relationships are the only ones holding her back.

I hummed a noteworthy tune as I walked towards the table, Aiden saw me so he smiled at me then went back to his friends after saying good bye to Christine. She put the flowers down and put an earphone in her ear then continued pushing a baby carrot around her plate with a fork. She didn't see me walking towards her, I smirked as I sped up my pace.

"I'm not sure the carrot likes that." I said taking the seat across from her.

"Oh crap, you scared me." she said as she took off the earphone. I laughed then smiled at her.

"Sorry." I said as I started eating my lunch. "When are you ever going to tell Aiden yes? I mean his been courting you for almost two years." I asked her but she just shrugged and continued pushing the carrot. I sighed.

"Where's Alissa?" I asked her through my first bite. Christine looked up again, her eyes shifted.

"Here comes the two headed monster now." Christine announced glaring at the doors. I turned in that direction, Alissa and Ryan walked in hands held tightly.

Alissa, my other friend is a happy, loud and never caring what others think kind of person. She's different but not Christine different. Her dark brown hair is cut into a short messy bob.

She loves clothes and dressing up because she dreams of being a fashion designer someday, so Christine and I were her usual mannequins when she wants to try out something new or when she wants to create some clothes or dresses she designed. Today she wore a black cute skirt, with boots and a long sleeve button down that she rolled up to her elbows.

Ryan is... Ryan's sixteen. A year younger than Alissa. We were all shocked when the two of them started dating, it all began when Alissa volunteered to tutor students and she got Ryan to tutor at English, they became really close and when her time was done at tutoring him, he asked her out, she accepted, and as they say the rest is history. Most of us found it weird, him being a whole year younger but they both seemed truly happy, so we supported them.

Ryan gave Alissa a kiss before running over to his friends table. They welcomed him jibes and slaps on the back. Alissa turned to our table and sat on my left.

"Hey guys." she greeted us smiling brightly but her smile fell away when she noticed our getup, me in jeans and my shirt while Christine wore a green lantern shirt and skinny jeans with her black chucks, she just sighed and decided not to comment on it. She pulled a metal flask out of her bag. When it was opened the aroma of spicy tomatoes flooded my nostrils.

"Hey, how was baby-sitting?" Christine said, Alissa just rolled her eyes. Already used to Christine's insults to her boyfriend.

"When are you going to stop insulting Ryan?" I asked her.

"The day when the sun rises color green." she answered immediately.

Ryan and Christine's relationship was always strained because they never seemed to get along. But despite Christine's animosity with Ryan, she supports his and Alissa's relationship completely because Ryan makes Alisa happy, but no matter where you put them together you would always hear them arguing and insulting each other, but it was never serious. The two just really don't clash, while Christine was always sarcastic, Ryan was always friendly but their only similarity was they were always smiling, sometimes it's almost too weird, because what were they always so happy about? Not the cafeteria food, that's for sure.

I just laughed lightly at Christine's answer, even Alissa was chuckling softly. So we all ate our lunch and talked about nothing and everything between the nothing. Listening to Christine's funny comments about all our classes.

When lunch ended, we bid each other good bye as I walked towards my next class they waved at me and they too headed for their class.

My next period was chemistry with Mr. Redfield, a handsome thirty something teacher of mine that us girls have a crush on. No wonder I am always interested and passing his class. *wink, wink.

After that, my next and last subject for the day was gym class, I groan internally, I hate gym, not because I'm clumsy or anything, I'm just not athletic like Christine or Alissa. Good thing I have them at this class. They make it bearable, I guess I'll just have to endure it..


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight..**

**Chapter Three: Extra Credit And Sage Don't Mix**

"Watch out for the puddles, Bella!" Christine called as we ran from the car. Alissa skipped past me laughing, kicking up water as she went.

I screeched as my foot sunk down into a hole of milky brown water. My jeans changed to a dreadful color.

Christine sniggered as she pushed open the doors, Alissa boots were making her slip on the steps. Her lips were moving but I couldn't make out every word she said.

"So?" Alissa asked us as we entered Skips Dinner. She shook her hair out from the rain. Droplets spinning off onto everything around, like a dog shakes out its hair till it's dry. I rubbed my hand over my face to wipe away droplets that had splashed there. Alissa didn't seem to notice though.

"So what?" Christine pulled her hair back into a pony tail as she spoke, it still fell past her shoulders. The wet ends curling together in slinky style springs. The rain had made her shirt a darker green.

Alissa gave Christine an annoyed look, tired of repeating herself.

"Come on." I said grabbing both of their arms and pulling them along.

I quickly guided us over to a booth before they started to fight, making sure to sandwich myself between the two.

Christine grabbed a menu and began to think up an order. Trying to pull off my gloves, the wet wool clung to my skin reluctant to be removed. Reasons I hate the rain could go on and on.

And on...

Alissa pushed wet hair from her eyes before speaking. "If you were listening to me outside you wouldn't need to ask twice. Seriously this is why I feel so unappreciated, you guys never listen to anything I say. You always -"

"Should I get cola or a smoothie? Or maybe..." Christine interrupted.

"See what I mean." Alissa sighed. She grabbed a menu and began her search. I don't know why she bothers, we come to Skips all the time. We practically have the menus memorized.

"I'll listen to you Alissa." She looks up and gives me a bright smile, "What crap are you going to drill into my mind today then?" I laugh making Alissa scowl.

"So, are you going to join?" Is all she said.

Alissa puts down her menu then retrieves a crumpled piece of paper from her shoulder bag. Surprisingly the paper hadn't gotten wet. Straightening it out as she passed it over the table.

Christine looked over my shoulder to see the paper.

It read,

**Project Smoke And Mirrors **

**Ever wanted to make your own horror film?**

**Well now is your chance to write, direct and star in your own film.**

**5 teams, 7 students per group.**

**To sign up head to the computer lab at 12o'clock tomorrow,**

**Be there, or be scared...**

"_Be there, or be scared." _I quoted, "Wow! Can that get any more cheesy."

"Lame!" Christine called, she returned to her menu.

Looking at the leaflet I saw it had been decorated with splatters of blood and green slime. The writing looked drippy and was blood red in color. There was a blurry cartoon image of Count Dracula in the corner. A picture of some crappily cut pumpkins sat in the opposite corner. It was supposed to look scary... I think.

"Cheesiness aside, it's an extra credit project. I need everything I can get to get into college." Alissa smiled. It felt strange to see someone so bright and jolly when outside the rain was pouring and the sky was grey. "I think it could be awesome!"

"Alissa, you think snails are awesome." Christine said looking up from her menu. Her hand was twisted mindlessly into her ponytail.

"Okay. Number one: snails _are_ awesome, do not disrespect the ability to carry your own home. Number two: I'm never wrong about these things. Why would I be now? Number three: At least I'm not a fucking killjoy." Said Alissa, ticking her points off on her fingers.

"Alissa! I am appalled by your language. Such bad words you speak." Christine joked. It was true Alissa didn't swear, well she swore only when necessary. It sometimes felt like talking to a child.

Alissa glowered at us, Christine said "Whatever Bella wants to do. My biggest concern right now is food..."

Christine looked back down at the menu, not really caring.

We sat in silence for awhile, neither of us wanting or needing to speak. The booth we were sitting in was a regular location in our world. It was perfect, the sunlight lit it just enough and we were further enough from the door as not to receive a draft.

I leaned my head back against the window and closed my eyes. The cool glass soothed my head.

Have you ever slipped into a day dream about nothing? Well this is a recurring thing for me. I just slip in and out of the real world, I'm not thinking of anything while it happens so I don't know where my mind runs off to, it just drifts...

When I opened my eyes, my gaze heads straight to the counter because standing there is the guy I've been crushing on, the most good looking guy I've ever seen, Edward Cullen. _Cue dreamy sigh here.._

I've had a crush on Edward Cullen since the beginning of high school, a week after class openings he actually bumped into me at the hallway and I ended up sending my things airborne, of course he helped me picked it up and said sorry before walking away. That was the start of my attraction to him, besides the fact that he was handsome and smart, he was also friendly to everybody and the fact that he helped me pick up my things just added points for him.

Edward is... Edward is a senior. I doubt he remembers me...

"Bella? Bellaaaa?" I heard the distinct sound of my name being called and also the sound of people talking, but I ignore them, "What the hell is she looking at like that?"

"Oh geez, she's busy daydreaming again. What's wrong with her, it's like somebody put a 'do not disturb' sign on the doorknob of her brain."

"Bella!" both Alissa and Christine shouted at me.

"Huh, What?" I asked dumbly.

"Whatcha looking at? We've been calling out your name like five times." Christine asked cheekily. "Is it the guy over there that looks like Dumbledore with the beer gut of Homer Simpson? He is so dreamy isn't he?" she added laughing. Even Alissa was laughing right along with her.

"Oh stop it, you guys, it isn't funny." I said, pouting.

"I'm sorry Bella, but please just stop daydreaming about Eddie over there and save it for nighttime." Alissa said.

"And when you're alone." Christine added.

"Okay, fine, and his name is Edward." I replied.

"Who cares? But anyways I was asking you if you wanted to join the project or not? I can register the three of us." Alissa said in a sing songy way, head tilted to the side.

"Yeah I think, I want to join, it could be good practice for me to write scripts for when I become an author, what do you say Christine?" I turned to my right and looked at her.

"Sure, no problem, go with the flow." Christine answered absent-mindedly because she was looking at the menu hungrily. "I want to order now" she said looking up, and when she does, she said "She comes in peace!" holding her hand up high. When I look at the direction she is staring at, I see Lorelei Pearce with her bags.

Lorelei is.. there is really not much words you could describe her except weird, she is a tall, red head that doesn't really talk to anyone. I could count on one hand the times she talked to me, but she is kind and means no harm, but I noticed, so did everybody else, that I'm the only one she talks to. Besides that she also always carries three little bags with her, which we don't know what's in it. It's strange really...

There are rumors going around about weed, needles and other _fun_ stuff.

I smacked the back of Christine's head and said, "Don't be mean!"

I ignored Christine's 'ow' and 'sorry' and picked up the menu to decide what to order, Alissa did the same thing, but I still stole a last glance at Lorelei and saw she sat in a booth near the counter.

"Okay, I'm ordering a chocolate shake and burger with fries, how about you guys?" Alissa asked looking at me and Christine.

"I'm ordering a soda with a chicken sandwich" I answered her. Nothing big but nothing small.

"I'm ordering the same as Alissa but with a ham and cheese sandwich and an extra burger and fries." Christine said, Alissa and I both looked at her with WTF expressions on our face. "What? I'm a growing girl, I need food and just because I'm on the small side doesn't mean my appetite is too." Christine defended herself.

"Okay, whatever, It's Bella's turn to order." Alissa decided to just ignore Christine's food trip, but something clicked inside my head.

"What? I can't order. I'll take a rain check and you order." I told her.

"What? Why?" she asked me, confused.

"Because, _He's_manning the counter, and I can't form coherent sentences in front of him" I answered with a 'duh' expression on my face. Seriously they should be used to my antics by now, I am with theirs.

Christine, not happy with us arguing over who's going to order and delaying her food, said "Oh come on, you're just going to order, It's not like you're freaking proposing to him." she pushed me out of the table and said "Go, shoo, order me my food woman." with a stern look on her face.

I stumbled a little, so I straightened myself and said "Fine."

Since I was already standing up, I had no choice, so I made my way to the counter with a blush on my face.

I smiled at Lorelei when I passed her, she didn't notice me. She just gazed into space. Her hands and eyes were busy twisting her hair around a string of beads. I'm not too sure of what this was achieving but it looked tricky.

Edward smiled as I walked towards him. He kicked off the wall he was leaning on and stood straight at the counter.

"Good afternoon ma'am, welcome to Skips, may I take your order?" Edward said to me.

"Uh, yeah, uh, I would like to have two burgers with fries with one burger and fries extra, one chicken sandwich, one ham and cheese, two chocolate shakes and one mountain dew, please." I told him shyly. Sort of out of breath from my too long order.

"Coming right up." he said, smiling crookedly.

I watched him gather all of our orders, and I ogled his backside when he prepared our sandwiches and watched his muscles flex while fixing our drinks.

I should feel embarrassed that I'm staring at him shamelessly but my subconscious told me 'it's a once in a lifetime chance to look at him with an excuse, don't miss it' so I decided to follow her and watched him, like a hawk, well, my hawk eyes are currently scanning his behind and my mind has a picture of Obama saying 'not bad, not bad at all'..

"Here you go miss." I heard him tell me and effectively breaking me out of my haze. "That will be 28.95." he smiled genuinely.

"Oh yeah, here ya go." I handed him the money.

While he was ringing up my order on the register he looked at me and said "That's a lot of food for just you and your friends."

"Well…"I started to answer but I was interrupted when I felt something being thrown at me. It bounced from my chin and tumbled down my shirt.

"What the hell!" I screeched. I turned to see what was thrown at me and saw that it was leaves. Small and green...

I brushed away the leaf as Lorelei spoke, "Do not talk to him, it will end badly."

She continued her assault on me."Bad things are about to come." she keeps saying. The green of her eyes wild.

I picked up one of the leaves and looked at it, it looked like sage "What are you doing Lorelei?" I asked her, annoyed with her weird behavior.

"Don't talk to him, it will cost you." she answered cryptically and left. Running out of Skips and into the rain. The red of her hair becoming darker as the water touched it. Like fire she ran, not looking back but gaining many stares.

"Okay..." I said turning around and taking the tray from the counter. "Thanks, uh, bye."' I told Edward.

"You're welcome." he answered automatically, he looked shock as to what just happened with Lorelei. When I looked at our table I saw Alissa and Christine with their mouths open and dumbfounded faces. I also notice the whole diner was looking at me, I guess they saw the whole "throw sage at bella" show.

"Okay, I know Lorelei is quirky but that was waaaay beyond the norm." Alissa said as soon as I sat down. She reached forwards and grabbed her food.

"I know, what the fuck just happened back there?" Christine asked me.

"I don't have a clue either." I answered honestly "She just threw sage at me and told me not to talk to Edward because it would end _badly_."

"Badly? What does she mean badly? Don't tell me, the freaks a psychic now!" Christine inquired.

"I don't know." I shrugged and started eating, wanting to drop the subject because, honestly, it creeped the freak out of me that Lorelei did that.

She's always been quirky but the quirkiness never reached anyone else.

Christine and Alissa just looked at me then to each other, before looking at their food on the tray.

"Food! Finally." Christine exclaimed happily, she then took her grub and started eating without a care who was watching her eat all of the things she ordered.

Another worker came to clear up the mess that scattered on the floor. Sighing and muttering as they did.

I snuck a glance at the counter to look at Edward, and there he was looking at me curiously, probably wondering why did that just happen. 'I haven't got a clue either, buddy' I thought to myself, then I heard Christine start telling a story of her day with her mouth full, distracting me from thinking of this hours happenings...

But down in the pit of my stomach there was a strange feeling...

It wasn't the dry meat on my chicken sandwich...


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight. Thankyou for the favourites and alerts! Chapter should be every week if I can manage.** **Chapter Four: Welcome To Team Skeleton**

His arms snaked their way around her waist. He pulled her towards him; she rested her face on his chest and smiled. Ryan lowered his face into her neck then breathed in.

"You smell good." Ryan's voice was muffled out from its place against Alissa's neck.

We and the other nerds, that had been both registered and accepted, had stood outside the computer lab for 20 minutes waiting for the teacher to arrive. Was it really hard for them not to make us wait. Stupid tardy teachers, and when you're the one who was late for them they'll give you an earful. Freaking hypocrites.

During this time though, Ryan had kissed Alissa and openly groping things that shouldn't be groped in public. Every time Alissa giggled and moved his hands somewhere else only for Ryan to move his hands back there several seconds after. I should be kind of repulsed but I'm a hopeless romantic at heart. That was not the case with Christine though, who was looking at them with annoyance and she only slight embarrassment with their PDA. She kept looking from side to side, trying to avoid direct eye contact with the cozy couple.

Alissa turned in Ryan's arms so her back was against his chest. Ryan burrowed right back into her neck again. "You taste good too ..." Ryan's tongue darted out to touch her neck, Alissa squealed and moved away laughing. Ryan pulled her back into a hug before shoving his tongue back down her throat.

I turned away, being single around a couple sucks. But imagining myself doing that with the one I love, it makes me hopeful, hoping one day I could express my love for my someone freely in public, but not the way Alissa and Ryan do it, no, maybe more romantic and sweet, like just hugging and chaste kisses maybe even rubbing our noses together or just look and get lost in each others' eyes ... Okay, I'm reading way too much into romance novels.

"I'm not sure if I should report to the police about public indecency or a possible pedophilia." Christine said, gagging at the display of affection. I smiled and rested my head against the wall.

"Don't worry Chris, you'll be like that one day." I teased her, she looked horrified.

"If a guy who claims to be in love with me, gropes me in public then he better prepare for a black eye." She told me in all seriousness; I totally believed her as it would not be the first time Christine sucker punched a guy.

"Yeah but maybe that's just his way of showing his affections towards you, maybe someday, it would be you and Aiden doing that." I teased her again, I love seeing her blushing, flustered and speechless, it only happens once in a blue moon.

"Over my dead body am I going to be doing that." She said while gesturing her head to the still sucking face couple. I noticed almost all of the students waiting and passers by were looking at them too.

I was about to answer her when we heard a commotion.

"HEY! HEY! GET BACK HERE, YA' SHIT HEAD!" I turned to look down the corridors, as did everyone else. Edward fell through the double doors laughing, slipping about for a few seconds before landing on his side. Everybody was startled, even Ryan pulled his lips away from Alissa.

Edward was slipping on the ground before scrambling to his feet again. He bolted past us only looking back when the doors opened again. The owner of the voice, Ted Stone, followed suit. Ted and Edward were best friends. Despite their brawls and taunting. Ted was a lot like Edward just louder and less attractive. He had brown hair and grey eyes and loves to pull pranks on people just so he could get a good laugh, sometimes it annoying but sometimes it is funny, oh well, he did have a funny laugh though, all snorts and full out.

Ted was quickly gaining on him. At this Edward dropped a rucksack to the ground, and continued his run. Pushing and shoving people out of his way. Ted leaped over the rucksack with a strange sort of grace before tackling Edward to the ground. People cleared a path for them unsure what to do. A few of Edwards other friends were sniggering at how easily he was taken down. Ted had straddled Edwards back and was pushing his face to the dirty floor; shouting and cheering about his success.

"You absolute prick, Eddie." Ted stood up and went to retrieve his bag. Edward sat up, a beautiful smile on his face. I turned away to hide my smile. He looked absolutely handsome today, he was wearing a black polo shirt with jeans and chucks ... he could wear anything and I would still find him impossibly attractive ... it's so not fair to anyone for being so good looking..

I wanted to go over help him up, introduce myself maybe make a failed attempt at dazzling him. But Mr. Stevens had arrived, unlocked the door and was letting us inside.

Mr. Stevens... _You absolute prick._

"Alright, I want you all lined up along the back wall. When I call your name you'll come to the front and take the draw. The piece of paper you get will tell us what team you're on."

We lined at the back of the class. In Stevens' hands was an odd looking box that I assume was filled with pieces of paper.

Everyone stopped talking waiting for Stevens to call the name. The intensity of the moment reminded me of that scene from _Harry Potter, _the part where Mrs. Mcgonagall calls out the kids names so the grim hat can put them into houses.

"Oliver West."

As the first name wa called all eyes turned on the owner, Oliver. A tall boy with a sharp cut face and dazzling smirk. Bit of an ass really; he kicked himself off the wall and walked to the front. He reached his hand into the box and emerged with a slip. He unfolded the paper,

"Team Ripper." He said smirking, visible chewing on some gum.

Stevens directed him towards a table. On top of the table was a black top hat. Noticing this Oliver immediately began to fuss with it, finally opting to wear it. He lent back on a chair putting his feet up.

"Alice May." Alice walked to the front taking extra time. Then taking extra time again to take her paper. Geesh, this girl looks like everything she does is in slow motion, like one second looks like three for her.

"Team... Ghoul" Taking extra time to speak.

And that's how it went, names were called. There was five teams in total; Team Aswang, Team Ghoul, Team Ripper, Team Skeleton and Team Bloodsucker. Who came up with these names?

Alissa had been put into Team Aswang. Whatever that was.

Ryan and Christine into Team Skeleton, much to her dismay.

I was the last to be called out. I walked hastily towards the front not liking the attention I was receiving.

Mr. Stevens smiled encouragingly as I reached my hand in. "Go on." He murmured. For a fifty-something _prick,_ who's breath smelt like bacon and whisky I should add, he was almost nice. Almost nice.

In the few seconds I was standing there I keep my gaze on the box, it was made from a soft wooden material. It had craved patterns creating a picture of a boat that appeared to be about to be swallowed up by the large curling waves of the ocean.

Pulling my hand out, I unfolded the paper.

A little face stared up at me, and two arms lay crossed in an X shape. The Team name lay underneath.

"Team Skeleton."

Christine gave me a 'woop' as I walked over. I recognized a few of the kids on Team Skeleton . Christine of course. Ryan and his sister Marie Jones. Mike Taylor, AKA douche bag. Jason and Jackson Little. These were the people who I was to make a horror film with. The brilliance that is the universe strikes again.

"So, the teams you're in now are the teams you will stay in. In a minute I will hand you your starter equipment, now before we start is there any questions?" Stevens said.

Ryan raised his hand.

"No, Mr. Jones, there will be no switching of teams." Ryan lowered his hand with disappointment clear on his face. Alissa looked a little disheartened but I couldn't decide if she had wanted to change to be with Christine and I or Ryan.

"Yeah, I have a question. What's an Aswang?" A voice from the back called gruffly. Thank you anonymous kid for asking the million dollar question, I was curious about what it is too. The kid, whoever it was, wasn't too bothered about being here it sounded.

Stevens stood stumped by the question. Looking nervously around the room. I doubt he would find the answer in his shoes. He obviously didn't come up with the team names.

"An Aswang is a vampire like creature from Philippine mythology. Winged creatures... very scary. You can google it." The voice came from Christine. I stared at her, mouth slightly agape. I was not expecting Christine to answer.

"What? I actually know stuff is that a crime." Christine said. She then resumed staring out the window.

"Any other questions?" Stevens began to hand out the equipment that included a very snazzy looking camera. Passing the camera to one team that instantly dropped it.

"Why is there a top hat?" Oliver yelled still wearing said top hat.

"If you look to the center of your table you will see an item with relevance to your team name..."

What do you know, in the center of our table was a waxy looking skull. Jason picked it up and studied it before handing it to Jackson."A part of this project is to design a logo for your team. The item must be a part of your logo."

He handed us our equipment then moved on.

"Well," Marie spoke for the first time."This... Is... Awkward..."

"Indeed... It... Is." Christine agreed, "Indeed it is."

We all just sat there looking at each other then away, basking in the awkward silence.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight.. **

**Chapter Five: Is It Human?**

I got out of the Vios, slamming the door a little harder than intended. My shoes scuffed against the gravel as I walked up the path way.

Large puddles had formed in the uneven pits of the pathway, this morning I had stepped in one. Successfully soaking my good denim. They still hadn't dried off though.

When inside I pulled off my mud covered shoes and chucked them at the corner. Instead they hit the wall then fell with a thud, scattering mud everywhere. I would have to clean that up later.

I ran up stairs with my feet thudding on the carpet as I went. I let out a huff of air as I fell back on my bed.

I was exhausted, emotionally that is.

Today hadn't been the best of days and the 'Project Smoke And Mirrors' meeting didn't make it any better. After Mr. Stevens had put us into groups we had been told to assign each other positions or jobs. The Little twins instantly claimed their positions as actors before giving the rest of the team a little _display_ of their _skills_. Marie and Ryan began a sibling war instantly fighting over who should direct. After five minutes, the fight led on to other subjects. In the end I took it on myself to do some research. I was just going to look at some urban legends, watch a couple of movies. You get the drift.

I let out another sigh as Scampi crawled into my stomach. I sat up and pulled him into my arms.

"Hey sweetie. You miss me? I missed you." He replied with a soft mewing. Scampi purred from his place in my arms, nuzzling his face into my stomach. His soft mews and purrs as I ran my fingers through his black and white fur brought a smile to my lips.

Scampi, our cat of six years, had always been small. Scampi had beautifully soft fur, one of my favorite past times was running my hands through it whilst he sat on my lap. This was his favored past time too.

"Bella!" Dad called as he ran up the stairs, making dust fall from the support beams on my roof. He knocked on my door.

"Come in dad!" I called back. I placed Scampi on the floor, dusted the hairs from my jeans, then stood up from my bed.

Dad walked in. Smiled meekly before closing the doors. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm heading for work."

"Um, okay... Is that all?" I asked. I walked over to my desk and turned on the computer. The humming of the fan and the windows logo fluttered on.

"Yeah..." Dad turned to walk out. He opened the door, not noticing Scampi slip out, he stood at the door.

"Dad?" I asked cautiously, his face looked funny color. He looked... scared.

He looked up at me, concern glazed his eyes. "Just stay inside the house, okay. If the phone rings ignore it and don't answer the door to anyone. Make sure you-"

"Dad! I'm not four, Okay? What's brought this on?" He stood still. Sighing he closed my door then leant against it.

"D... Dad? What's...?" Dad isn't good at showing emotions. I have only ever seen him cry once, even then it was on a videotape of their wedding. He sat down on my bed and looked at me.

When dad acts this way it can only be bad, "You remember the Collins' kid went missing? Well, they... they found his body earlier this morning."

"Oh." I whispered.

"There has been another missing persons report too. Three kids, from out of town." Said dad. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Tourist go missing all the time. What makes this any different? Give it a few days, they'll show up. They always do." It was true, tourists who went wandering didn't always come back. Well not after a few days at least. Christine said we jinxed the town by calling it Lost Springs.

"They found a body." Dad looked up at me, eyes were concerning as he did. "They think... they think it's more than just some stupid teens. No, there's something out there... I'm not supposed to be telling you this but your find out soon enough. Were going into schools to speak to kids. Just a warning to stay away from the forest."

Silence... My dad always found this job hard, dealing with kids anyway. Knowing someone was purposely going after teenagers must have a bad effect on him. "What do you think is happening?" I asked. Dad stood up, gave me a kiss on the cheek then left the room. He didn't answer my question but he didn't need to.

I leant back in my chair as I listened to the engine of the car starting. The crunching of gravel as he reversed and the screeching as he drove away.

I pushed away from the desk making my chair twist around. My foot pushed from the bed as I continued to spin. Such a small, childish game seemed to keep my mind simulated for longest of times.

Spencer Collins, I barely spoke to the guy. He was senior, just turned eighteen a couple of weeks ago. When I first started high school I was often late for the bus. Spencer he had gotten the bus to stop for me once. After that he would always make the bus wait. I think once he lent me a dollar for the vending machines ... but that may have been Mike. How could I feel sad for someone I didn't know?

I had rarely spoken to Spencer, never knowing much about him, so again, how could I feel sad for someone I didn't know?

I stayed like that for awhile, spinning in the twirling computer chair until I was dizzy. The vast world of my bedroom began to blur as I twirled and span and twisted and spiraled.

Spencer is dead and I have a sick, twisted feeling he isn't the last...

* * *

_Soucouyant lives by day in the form of an elderly woman in the outskirts of villages. However when night falls she strips off her wrinkled disguise, hides it in a mortar, and flies in the shape of a fireball through the darkness of the night, looking for her victim. The fireball enters a home of her victim through the keyhole or any crack or crevice._

My eyes were straining from the hours on end of staring, research hurts.

It has been three and a half hours since my dad left. During that time I had broken the twirling chair, typed up some homework then started on the project research.

It hadn't gone as well as I had hoped. You cannot just type in 'Urban Legends' without getting at least one or two dodgy sites. After a hour of surfing through what I can safely call cult homepages, I found a pretty good place.

It talked about a lot of Caribbean legends, after clicking on a subheading _Jumbee Spirits _I into pages on the _Loogaroo_ or the _Soucouyant._

_The soucouyant will suck the blood of people from their arms, legs and other soft parts while they sleep. If the soucouyant draws out enough essence (blood) from her victim, then the victim will become a soucouyant herself, or else perish entirely, leaving her killer to assume her skin as a new disguise. _

I let out a tired yawn, Scampi purred as though trying to outdo the noise. I ran my along his spine and the curls of his tail erupting a series of pretty purrs from deep within his chest. Scampi jumped from his place beside me, bounded across the clothes cluttered floor and leaped on to my bed.

He stared out of the window. Ears pricked and standing straight to attention. Iced blue eyes watching something out of my viewpoint. He chorused a round of purrs and began patter his paws at the windows. I smiled at the cats confusing antics then shifted my gaze back towards the monitors screen. "Prepare for death via eyestrain." I mused to myself whilst rubbing my eyes with the back of my hands.

_A Soucouyant will then trade the blood of their victims for evil powers with a demon who resides in the silk cotton tree. To destroy-_

"Holy Crap!" I screeched the pitch of my voice surprising me. On the other side of the window where Scampi sat was a thin but still visible train of rising smoke. I hobbled over to my bed. Shoving the cat out of my way I pulled open the window.

On top of the chipped, decaying windowpane was pieces of leaves and flowers twisted into a strange complicated chain. The last flower was alight with a small flame followed by a train of dust ashes from he already fire eaten flowers. Instinctively, my hand reached out a picked up the piece of the chain that wasn't on fire. I lifted the chain until the flame was level with my eyes. The flame curled and twisted towards me, as though it was attempting to lean in. It flickered and began to crawl along the chain. Making the flowers crisp and curl inwards then the grass turn to a sweet smelling ash.

The scent flooded my nostrils. It reminded me of orangina and polo mints. Like lemongrass and the weird vine things that grows on the fence by the Pearces house.

In that second the flame had reached the tips of my fingers and was beginning to burn away the first layer of skin. I screamed and tossed the chains out of the window. It tumbled to the windowpane, ash scattering onto the wood, before slipping off again.

"Ho!" A voice called from below. I looked down, a mess of red hair and black rags. Lorelei Pearce stood under my window shaking the ash like chain remains from her hair. She looked up a sugary smile on her freckled face, "Watch it, will you!"

"Lorelei!" I screamed, something I have been doing alot lately.

"Yes?" She called, cupping her mouth with her hands in attempt to strengthen her voice.

"What are you... why? Why, is this some... I don't know, practical joke? Are you trying to make me look like a pratt or something?" I called to her. I sat on the windowsill and leaned outside.

Lorelei smiled approvingly, as though I had done something wonderful. In her mind it probably was. "Practical joke? I wouldn't ever do something such as that. This is no laughing matter. I believe I have indeed told you before of danger that does follow you, yes I have. My dear, young Bella dear _She wants you_. That _She _does, that _She_ does." As Lorelei spoke her head bounced from side to side and her hair spilled out from it's bun.

I looked at her in wonder, "_She_?"

"Yes, _She_ the _Jumbees _ofcourse. _He _can only ever come back after the essence is given. Stay away from your lad my dear or bad things will come." Her voice bounced of off the trees and echoed. The smile was gone now and fire lay inside the greens of her pretty eyes.

"Edward? No, no. Edward isn't my lad he's just... a lad. Why will my being near him make 'bad things' happen? And why are you setting my house on fire?" Scampi, who I had forgotten about, began to nudge my feet. Curious to the situation and not liking the lack of attention he was receiving.

"Oh silly, he is yours but soon he won't be. _She'll_ have him soon." Lorelei began to walk away. "Please do be careful. Sage won't keep the _Jumbees_ away for long."

Skipping over the grass in our garden. When she reached the iron fence she slipped through an almost hidden gap with ease. Sighing I slipped back inside. I closed the window then leant back against it, the cool glass soothing my forehead.

The Peirce family has always been strange. They're what my mother called 'eccentrics'. They lived in the house next to ours. When they first moved here they had great big iron fences put around their home making it look somewhat like a haunted house.

Everyday Lorelei would stand right up close the fence, clutching a bar in each hand and her face in between the bars. She did this for years no matter the weather. Never moving. Never speaking. Eventually she grew out of that, began to leave the house and wonder around in her own little world. she never spoke though.

When I was ten years old, I asked her, 'why do you stand there?' Lorelei turned, she had always dressed darkly even then, she replied with, 'this is as close I can be.' She proceeded to tell me about how her dad had been stolen by fairies when he crushed a toadstool. She span a tale about a fairy who hated her family, so to protect them her mother surrounded them with iron. I never really understood Lorelei, her ways were too different to my own too twisted.

It was best to let her play her own games and stay out of her way unless you wanted to get burnt.

_Soucouyants lives by day in the form of an elderly woman in the outskirts of villages. However when night falls she strips off her wrinkled disguise, hides it in a mortar, and flies in the shape of a fireball through the darkness of the night, looking for her victim. The fireball enters a home of her victim through the keyhole or any crack or crevice._

_The soucouyant will suck the blood of people from their arms, legs and other soft parts while they sleep. If the soucouyant draws out enough essence (blood) from her victim, then the victim will become a soucouyant herself, or else perish entirely, leaving her killer to assume her skin as a new disguise. A Soucouyant will then trade the blood of their victims for evil powers with a demon who resides in the silk cotton tree. To destroy Soucouyant, coarse salt be placed in mortar containing the soucouyant's skin. She then cannot put the skin back on and will perish._


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: we don't own twilight, just some of the other characters.. Read and review, please.. **

**Chapter Six: Disturbance **

Today was Saturday. It had been two days since the first project meeting, one day since the announcement of Spencer's death and the warning from the police. They had come to all the classes and, in full uniform, told us the news. The children from out of town, Collins kid, a new curfew, restrictions on the forest and other areas.

Since then we had written the plot and cast the roles. I was helping Marie direct, something I was less than happy about and Christine was acting.

Mike had made the decision for us to film in Sangre Forrest, not too far in, and like we were warned in a large group.

"I think it's stuck!" Ryan called looking up to where his jacket hung on a branch. Christine had thrown it in anger earlier.

"That's what she said!" Jason called out. His gaze didn't move from Marie's arse though. Neither did Jackson. The two were staring at it whilst she struggled to pull equipment from the back of Ryan's car. Jackson's eyes were focused, looking straight ahead, round as saucers and very close to popping out of his head. Jason wasn't much better. Eyes and body language matching his brothers. Only Jason was straining his neck slightly more to get a better view.

For around ten minutes they had stared.

"Urgh! Mother Fu-" Marie screeched as she tugged on the box. Jammed tightly into the boot of Ryan's car. Kicking and screaming were clearly not doing any good. "It's stuck!" Her midnight hair flew around as she punched the box and Ryan's car. Succeeding at jamming the box further.

"Pull it out slowly." I shouted from my place beside Christine. As Marie started her tug-of-war with the car again, interrupted by Jason.

"That's what she said!"

"Shut up!" She screeched. "Can someone help me? Every time I pull it just gets more stuck." I walked over, smiling softly before tugging a corner of the battered cardboard.

"That's what she said!" After ten more minutes of pulling, tugging, scratching and scraping the box was still stuck. After twenty minutes Ryan began to climb the tree.

"Okay! So how about we get started?" As he spoke, Mike circled the benches where we sat.

No one was listening.

Jackson and Jason was still busy ogling Marie's ass, probably mine too, as we struggled to retrieve equipment from the car. Ryan was busy scaling a tree to reach his jacket. Christine was singing and looking at Ryan with a very amused smile on her face as she watched him try to climb the tree.

"_My heart's a stereo It beats for you, so listen close Hear my thoughts in every note, oh oh. Make me your radio Turn me up when you feel low This melody was meant for you Just sing along to my stereo"_

Her voice strung out, a soft melody that filled the air around us. She tilted her head to the side and her eyes fluttered closed. Her hands gently tap-tap-tapping a rhythm onto the topside of the box in her lap. She sang along to the lyrics and hummed when the guitar strung out its tune. I turned my head. Gaze now focused on the portable radio - Jackson had brought it... or maybe Jason - as it crackled out the melodies and lyrics to a song I couldn't name.

"_If I was just another dusty record on the shelve Would you blow me off and play me like everybody else If I ask you to scratch my back, could you manage that Like it read well, check it Travie, I can handle that Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping tracks It's just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks I used to used to used to used to, now I'm over that Cause holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts If I could only find a note to make you understand I'd sing it softly in your ear and grab you by the hand Just Keep it stuck inside your head, like your favorite tune And know my heart is a stereo that only plays for you"_

I'm sure that to anybody else listening to Christine sing would seem a bit silly, her voice was unique. Always sung in an octave too high but still sounding perfect. Stretching out each note a few seconds too long then rushing into the next verse making it sound cluttered but if you looked past that you can hear the way her accent laced tongue would twist the pronunciation. She was unique.

"Um, guys, it is midday and we have been here for an hour! We have no work done! Now, come on! Let's get off," Mike moved over to Jackson and Jason, slapping them both on the back of the head. Knocking them out of their Marie induced trance."our asses and do some work."

"Mike, that's a very good plan but... I might be stuck up here." Looking up, Ryan was sitting in the tree, straddling a branch. He had his jacket back. Chris must have thrown it far because he was high up. Far too high to jump.

Marie cupped her hands to her mouth, "Ryan, honey, two words! Dumb! Ass!

Mike lugged the camera to his shoulder and made his way into the dark forest. Marie followed suit. The Little twins jogged ahead talking about what I can only assume was an inappropriate comment about Marie. I trudged on, Chris followed still singing and skipping along the undergrowth of the forest floor. I assume Ryan was making his way down from the tree.

Beams of sunlight slipped through the gaps in the leaves and branches above lighting a small, dim path for us to follow. Rocks and fallen debris had been cleared from the pathway beforehand. The forest sounds were eerie; the faint sounds of stream nearby, trickling water, the soft thudding of our footsteps bounced off the trees, Ryan calling after us in a plea to wait.

We continued to trot along. Jackson started up the radio again as he walked sending Chris back into another song. "ooh, I love this song."

"_I can't win, I can't reign I will never win this game Without you, without you" _

"Ugh! Can't you shut up? I hate your voice." Ryan said to Christine. She just stuck her tongue out at him and went to walk beside him and continue to sing loudly at his ear.

_I am lost, I am vain, I will never be the same Without you, without you"_

A manmade staircase of wood and earth took us lower and deeper into the enchanting woods around us. The steps were steep and uneven. A loose piece of earth broke off sending Marie tumbling down with Jason in tow. Mike had grasp hold of my waist but I had a feeling it was for more reasons than support.

Eventually we stopped in a small clearing. There was enough sunlight to give us a good camera shop but not too much to create a glare on the glass. The ground was surprisingly smooth compared to the rest of the grounds. It was mostly earth with a few stray patches of grass.

Perfect place to film.

* * *

The red light, a signal for quiet.

The boy stands still, he was facing east and head towards the dirty ground. The angle shows focused eyes and a creased brow. His face was chalky from dodgy stage makeup that is beginning to fade because of sweat. He stands and he waits.

He counts to ten in his mind, drawing out and every number with a Mississippi. Then he looks up. Counts for two this time. He takes five small and slow steps forward before he starts with a gentle trot.

Following a small trail not visible unless looked at carefully. He had been told to tread on leaves, stones, branches and debris to create sound. The crunch, crunch sounds bounce through the forest as he moves.

Hidden out of sight a girl gives him the signal. The boy sees and starts up with a run. Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch.

Now he fades into the distance with the suns' rays bouncing off his blonde head. Mud flicking from his shoes as he runs.

The scene changes.

The red light, a signal for quiet.

She is standing still. Expression unsure and cautious of her surroundings. Inside she is sure.

She looks up, into the sunlight. It highlights her face, her features and expression. She is told to stand still and quiet until she hears him.

So she waits. She stands in the silence and in the sun.

Then she runs, fast and loud. She strides, arms waving and legs pounding. She jumps and runs. Aware of the gazes she stays in character.

She smiles as she run, pants chest heaving. She will not stop for a breath until they tell her.

The scene changes.

The red light, flickers then disappears.

* * *

"I think it's broken."

"Nah, it's fine."

"See, just a scratch."

Mike picking up the camera from the ground. Marie snatched it and quickly began to fuss with the buttons.

"Just a scratch! The damn thing won't turn on. I swear to God, if it's broken you're buying a new one!" Marie scolded Mike, coming from Marie that's pretty scary. She has dark looks and even darker personality. Not to mention she's easily pissed off. Very, very easily pissed off.

"Alright, let's all take a break" Marie shouts then she returns to fiddle with the camera.

Christine skipped over to me, smiling. Perching herself on a rock she leant over to see what I was drawing. We were taking a break by the river bank, perched around on rocks eating lunch.

I stirred a stick around in the wet earth. Making spirals and smiley faces.

I looked up as Chris cracked open a Tupperware box of at least twenty sandwiches. After taking a sandwich for herself she shook the box in my direction.

"Want some?" She asked me.

"Sure, what's in these?" I asked her.

"This side," She said pointing to the sandwiches on the right side of the container "is just some chicken with mayo, but this side," pointing at the left side "is ham and cheese with egg, coleslaw and mayo with ketchup."

"Ham and cheese with egg, coleslaw and mayo with ketchup? Where did you come up with that?" I asked her incredulously as I tried to imagine what that would taste like.

"I don't know, I just took out stuff from the fridge and made it, but it taste good." She told me with a smile.

"Hmm, no thanks I'm taking the safe bet and go for chicken with mayo." I answered her and took the sandwich from the container.

"Your loss." She said before yelling "Hey, does anybody want some sandwiches?" Holding the Tupperware up in the air for the guys to see.

The Little brothers, Mike and Ryan all came running towards her, all of them grabbing a sandwich, Jackson grabbed two, but she took one from the container and handed it to Ryan herself.

"Thanks." Ryan said before opening it and taking a big bite.

When he swallowed, Christine smirked before saying, "I poisoned that, you know." He looked between the sandwiched and Christine, unsure, before spitting out the sandwich. Christine just laughed loudly "I'm kidding, God, as if I would really do that." She told him.

"With your fucked up mind, no one really knows." He answered her, taking another bite.

Jason called Ryan's attention and we all turned to see him holding a football in his hands. "Dude, you wanna play?" he asked him. Ryan smiled then ran towards him and the other guys.

"That would not end well, I'm telling ya." Christine said to me as we watched them coordinate and throw down rules. Marie was still busy with the camera.

"Maybe, maybe not. Have you heard anything from Alissa?" I asked her.

"Yeah, she texted me earlier. Said her group is having a brainstorming session at her house later today." She answered, I was about to ask her something else when we heard Marie scream.

"What the hell! You broke it even more!" she yelled and we saw the camera and film on the ground with the football beside it. It seems that Jason threw the ball towards her accidentally and knocked the tape from her hands and brought the camera down too. Ryan walked over to see the damage himself. Jason was apologizing profusely.

"It isn't broken, the leg just got bent. We just need to find something to support it, then it's good to go." Ryan said to her while holding the equipment up.

"No! It's broken and we can't fix it. This all your fault, you idiots! You imbeciles!" she yelled while pointing at the guys. "You guys should have played more carefully! Or better yet, you guys shouldn't have played at all!

"Oh cut the crap, sis! How many times do we have to tell you it's not broken? Stop being so dramatic." Ryan screamed back at her.

"You're calling me dramatic? I am not dramatic, I'm just pointing out the truth that if you morons played carefully, the camera wouldn't be broken!"

"It's not broken!"

"Says you! Can't you see it's broken, the lens is shattered!"

"Oh take that stick out of your ass, the lens can be replaced and we could put a brace on the bent leg. It's fixable! So quit being a bitch and shut your trap." Ryan yelled at her sisters face.

"You're an asshole!" Marie screamed back before turning away and running into the forest. Well, that's not good.

"Marie, wait!" I yelled to her, but she just kept on running.

"You guys fix it up here, I'm gonna go get her," I told the others before following Marie.

"Okay, you guys take all the equipment down and let's wait for Bella and Queen Marie to come back." I heard Christine say to the others then I heard music play out as the others did what needs to be done.

I couldn't see Marie anymore, she had gotten a little further ahead, but I could definitely hear her. Stomping and cursing her way through the thick undergrowth.

The music and voices of the group became less prominent as I walked. They echoed and quieted until they were mere whispers.

"Marie... Come back! They were just playing!" I called out to the forest, stumbling on the roots of a particularly large tree.

"Marie!" Slipping on the muddy ground, hands flailing around for support before falling ass first into mud. "Marie!"

Standing up I leapt into a run, twisting my body through thorny branches and pushing past the thick and thin bodied trees alike. Slipping, tumbling, pushing and cursing I was back to the wooden staircase. I could clearly see feet prints from where Marie had trodden past.

"Marie?" I called, "Are you there?"

"No one... I don't." A voice rang through the trees. Marie.

"Seven, why do you." Marie answered and spoke to a mystery person. I began to head in the direction, still listening in to the conversation.

"I." Her voice faded in and out, cutting off from harsh whispers to nothing. "Who I said." I began to move faster. Stumbling along as I struggled not to slip. "Don't come near me..."

"Marie!" I could see her now. Just barely through gaps in the branches. Face scowling and fierce, "Are you okay?" Pushing and shoving through the branches, "Are you okay?" I walked onto the pathway, Marie stared straight ahead. Her head was tilted to the side and she faced straight ahead. A series of strange throaty hacking noises came from her chest. Hands flew to her throat and she began to scramble. Falling to her knees, clawing at her neck and the earth, struggling to take in air.

Then I saw it.

The blood.

It coated her neck, spilling from a thick wound travelling crisscrossed over her throat. The black numbered shirt she had been wearing was ripped open. Thin lines, scratches, ran over her breast bone travelling down across her stomach. More red spilt from these lines and began to flow over her still convulsing body.

She clawed at the grass, forearms covered in blood. Skin stained crimson from her bloody wounds. Sucking in a large gulp of air before spluttering up dark blood. She moaned, whimpered with inhumane noises. Grass and earth turned dark as the blood dribbled from her body and ran into the ground. I wobbled towards her, shaking all over I knelt at her side. Marie's dark eyes stared at me pleadingly. Calling for help because her mouth couldn't.

"Oh... Oh My... Guys! Come Quick, Please! Oh My God! Guys!" I stuttered and screamed. Not sure I had formed coherent sentences. "Help!"

I was frozen not wanting to move but needing. I needed to... to do something. To help her. To save her. If that was even possible but instead I stood and watched as her body twisted weakly in the dark, bloody bed of earth. "Help..."

Just barely a whisper that time. crackle, too. I must have screamed more than I thought.

"Help... please come... please don't die... please... please." I repeated the rough mantra in my head. I placed my hands over my eyes. "Please don't die..."

I moved them away, hoping to see nothing or anything other than a crushed, mangled Marie laying in a pool of her own blood. But of course she lay clawing at the grass, her forearms and torso streaked with dark red blood. Skin raw from fresh wounds and ripped up skin, mussel neeath pulseing and veins broken. When she breathed in he chest rose in jolts but she was yet to breath out and only managed to cough up more blood.

"Marie,"

Then... nothing.

Something hard hit in the back of my head. Sharp, quick and fiery pain swarmed in the back of my skull. For a second the world twisted and span in my gaze. Slipping sideways, loosing focus as it moved in a throbbing motion. Colors mixed. The green of trees seemed too bright and the horrid red stuff was mixing with brown. I moved my hand to the back of my head, when I pulled it away. The red stuff was there too... and it was wet and sticky... and my hair was clamping in my hand. I could feel bile rise in my throat as copper coated my tongue. The taste, the smell, the feel was all too familiar. Then I didn't hear.

The world span... then I didn't see.

And in that second I wasn't thinking about why or how I had passed out. Who hit me or why they did it. Not even about poor Marie's convulsing body.

In fact, I don't think I was thinking about anything.

* * *

"Where is she?" He screamed at me. Ryan began to pace in front of me, all stomps and grunts. "Argh!"

I buried my face in my hands and continued to rock myself as Chris hugged me. Making gentle 'shh' noises as she patted my back. "_I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know_." I repeated the words over and over in rough sounding whispers.

Ryan, obviously not liking my reply, began to shout and cuss a series of words I had never seen him speak. I flinched at the noises and pressed my face into Chris' neck. "_I don't know, I don't know_."

"It's okay, Bells." She hugged me tighter as I sobbed into her shirt. "It's okay."

Looking up, I saw Jackson struggling to calm Ryan down, Mike and Jason had gone to look down the riverbank. Hoping Marie had gotten lost and wandered back there. They didn't believe the blood was hers...

Well, Ryan didn't... Or he didn't _want _to believe.

I had only been awake for a few hours so I was still disoriented but I know what I saw. I know I saw Marie lying in the bloody earth. I know I did. I know that... _I don't know._

"Where is she?" I was no longer sure if he was questioning me. He was just shouting and I was laying in Christine's arms whimpering as he did. "Where the fuck is she?"

"Hey, dumb ass! I see your upset but taking this out on Bella will not solve your problems! She's in enough shock as it is, she doesn't need you blaming her for... this... this _situation_! Okay?" Ryan nodded his head at Christine, an attempt to make her less pissed off. "Okay, then shut the fuck up!"

I don't know how long we sat in silence but eventually I stopped crying. My rough and raw face rubbing against Christine's mucky shirt. My arms sore from the scratchy material of Jason's sweater, he said people in shock need to be kept warm. So I had on both the Little brothers sweaters, my oversized hoodie and someone's blue anorak (Mikes?).

Eventually it got dark. The forest had gotten ten times colder and it was way past curfew, so when Mike and Jason got back we decided to leave. Well when I say 'we'... Ryan wanted to stay and look.

Then he just gave up. Following behind as we walked to the cars. Crying softly as Mike called the police and an ambulance for me.

We shouldn't have gone into the forest that day. We shouldn't have broken the police rules. We should have stayed at home. But it's too late for 'should haves' now. No, now we're a part of something... something disturbing.


End file.
